Giving poor citizens money

Looks as if with the Democratic Party policy is to give poor citizens cash.

Do you think as I do that this is good policy or not?

Here is an opinion piece from Bloomberg

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-03-09/covid-relief-cash-may-be-the-welfare-of-the-future

“In fact, evidence is starting to pile up in favor of cash transfers. A 2018 literature review by Ioana Marinescu finds that various unconditional transfer programs tend to boost incomes, as well as health and education. And despite the widespread belief that welfare benefits encourage people not to work, that outcome appears small. For programs that give out cash unconditionally – like the payouts from the Alaska Permanent Fund, which distributes natural resource revenues to the people of Alaska – the reduction in employment is negligible.“

The author gives compelling arguments for cash payouts.

So let’s hear from the other side against cash payments.

Allan

And here is an article behind a paywall from the New York Times

“Depending on when the snapshot is dated, Ms. Houpe might appear as a striving emblem of upward mobility or a mother on the verge of homelessness. But in either guise, she is among the people Democrats seek to help with a mold-breaking plan, on the verge of congressional passage, to provide most parents a monthly check of up to $300 per child.“

300 bucks a kid. Paid monthly to poor people.

Great idea.

Allan

My bet is that it will help make the abortion rate go down.

There’s the ideological split between Dems and Trump Party members. In Democratic legislation, you can see the poorest 20% get about a 20% bump, the top 1% get zero.

Republicans seem to have a knack for shoveling money to the top.

Apples and oranges. The distribution of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend does not come from tax revenues, it comes from interest on funds deposited in the Constitutionally protected Permanent Fund that are invested in the private sector. In fact, most of the money in the Permanent Fund, which is the corpus of the invested funds, does not come from taxes on resources, it comes from accrued interest on investment of the resource revenue and from allocations of interest gain taken from the General Fund where that money could have been spent by the Legislature. There is no comparison whatsoever between distribution of money to individual Alaskans from the earnings of the Permanent Fund and simply giving poor people money from the Federal Treasury.

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Super. The only reason the Alaska fund was mentioned was that it is unconditional cash and it’s effects on employment, just like it says.

Are you poor?

It’s a bad idea, it does work in a society were everyone puts in that some on the left like a lot in Scandinavian countries. This country though there is significant percentage that doesn’t pay taxes or put in.

I would prefer to help citizens out though before doling out foreign aid and housing illegals though given a choice.

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How is it paid?

Lets continue to teach people that the governent is there to give you free money. Have more kids, well look at that more free money.

We need to start to wean people off of free money. This is a rabbit whole that doesn’t end.

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But it’s generated using the private sector as the economic machine produce wealth. The concept of direct government payments to the poor uses money drained from the economy through taxes. Doing so is the antithesis of the PFD and, therefore, it is disingenuous to compare the two as far as the effect on employment or any other economic factor.

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Notice the title of my thread is “giving poor people money” not “government giving poor people money”.

The source of income matters not. Does it help the poor or not is the question at hand.

Allan

A monthly check.

Allan

This is a wealth transfer from taxpayers to those who do not pay tax without merit.

Terrible idea that will build resentment.

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Yet do have a problem with farm subsidies, make your farm bigger get more government money.

Allan

Notice that my response is in regard to the Bloomberg opinion piece used by you in the OP as a compelling argument. It’s not.

Well of course that is your opinion, mine differs.

Giving money to poor people helps them, does not hinder them

Allan

Your opinion appears to be stuck on Trump.

And the differences between the two presidents.

You betcha.

It’s how Biden got elected.

He’s not trump.

Allan

Yep, Biden got elected because he was not Trump. Welcome to the Socialist States of America.